In order to limit the costs of default, a bank usually requires a loan applicant to provide upfront
a certain amount of collateral to cover the loan value. The availability of such collateral
is a key determinant for a loan approval decision by the bank. However, a widely recognized
problem is that SME entrepreneurs tend to have little or no physical security to offer as
collateral. In addition, banks are confronted with a new phenomenon in regarding collateral.
The shortening life cycle of products and of the usefulness of fixed investment combined
with large fluctuations in share and property prices tend to reduce the certainty that collateral
can offer in cases of repayment problems. This suggests that banks need to consider lowering
their valuation of collateral.